Category: Life
So, it's been a hectic day today but a good one ...I haven't posted in awhile but that's only because I've been just straight up busy at work & I'm trying to get my house in order since my roommate is moving out & I have a new roommate moving in I won't say who because she probably really wants to be anonymous off my blogs...
I like to devulge & I know she's more private, yes, if you're reading this - you know you'll appreciate that & give me an "Amen" & high five...baha!All I have to say is that my weekends more than make-up for my weekdays most of the time. Last week I went to a wedding in Napa or more to the point, San Rafael...it was too fun...my good friend's sister had the the nicest ceremony & everything else afterwards was just the perrennial "blast from the 80's past"...I mean the DJ there was playing Stevie B., Covergirls, Dino, Sweet Sensation, Expose & then Vanilla Ice...too outta' control, I tell ya', the bad part was most of the crowd got up & did the requisite 80's b-boy/ b-girl dance moves that corresponded to all these songs. Also, my friend thought I would know NO ONE at this wedding...of course, I met two guys who knew me 1st - the first was actually the wedded couple's friend who was driving them & he actually remembered me not from school but the fact that I attended a mutual friend's dad's funeral all the way back almost 15 years ago...whatta' trip...he said he remembered my face...the other guy was helping me decorate & sprinkle like these fake autumn leaves down the bridal path runway to the makeshift altar outside the country club & I just totally laughed when he was like, "Eleanore is that you????"...I had to squint really hard & scratch my noggin' to remember both guys but wow, that felt like a family reunion seeing people after all these years from high school...too funny...yes, yes, I am getting older & stuff like that when you start playing "the catch-up" game in conversations makes you realize how really far you've come & progressed as a person and where you are in life...
Mostly, it's me just plugging away at work...dang, did I mention work once more again...I know, I know it sounds so boring but it's the big push before the holidays, which I might add I am not ready for. How the heck did it turn into the end of the year already? I'm not ready for Thanksgiving much less Christmas, much less New Year's...okay, okay...it's easy to feel overwhelmed at this time of the year but I think I'm going to do like I did last year - just take it at my OWN pace. I am going to try not to be pressured to go to so many social things, that's all...Anyway, today, I helped pick-up trash at Stern Grove & man, was it an archeological dig or what...I found well in order the most for quantity & just because they were odd; 1. Cigarette Butts 2. Beer bottles - whole or smashed buried in the ground (probably teenagers trying to grow a beer tree so they can have more beer? Baha!) 3. Paper cups 4. CD's and/ or CD covers 4. food wrappers 5. A hub cap 6. Nails - Okay, dangerous but at least we were using those claw grabbing thinga mah jiggies 7. Crumpled parking tickets (from a p.o.'ed fellow SF citizen, I'm sure) 8. Tissue Paper 9. Soda Pop Cans 10. Plastic something or others 11. Flattened tennis balls (we cleaned up near the tennis courts there) 12. Tennis ball can covers 13. Shoes (Ewwww, that seemed gross to me) 14. One homeless man who I was told has been living in his little encampment for over 10 years! Can you believe that? I was even told the neighbors who live near Stern Grove over there actually bring him food too and feed him; which is fine but living there for 10 years??? Won't anyone direct him to a homeless shelter or something? He had like luggage, some boxes, utensils & then other things I can't mention b/c it's just gross & I didn't even end up cleaning it out because the gardener with us, plus my supervisor, plus this other volunteer guy were like, "No, get away, stand back...it's so gross, you can't come near over there in those bushes"... Wow...so, I'll spare you all but I just want to go on record we for hell sure cleaned up that spot where that squatter lived & the funny part was the whole time he was lying in the sun next to his shopping cart pretending to read some old beat up paper while they cleaned out his "home"... Anyway, you can't force people to seek shelter & at the same time I feel like it's such a sad situation but he looks like he's pretty mental at the same time...*sigh*...in anycase, I think the Park & Rec people have tried to report him a lot of times but he just hides for a little while probably somewhere else close by & then returns to the same spot...such a tragic thing to see, really...can I just say, my calves & ankles are sore right now from the bending down & picking up...damn...old age...senioritis..
Anyway, not to bum you all completely out, after we spruced up the park a bit - I then went to the Bayview to take part in the mentoring fair & wow, the energy there was so completely different from my mellow gardening day in the park...lots of music, dancing, double dutching, good vibes & kids having a good time with their parents which always a great thing to see because, you know, I love families...the teenagers were all great, I loved seeing their dancing & my gawd, breakdancing is just as popular as ever & I don't know what they call it anymore, but it looks like they're doing a different form of poplocking that is blowing me away...too funny...I was totally trying to dancing with them (please note that "trying" was the operative word here).
Hmmmmm, I got to see a free preview of the new Johnny Cash bio-film this past Thursday night - Joaquin Phoenix is just an amazing actor...it's the brooding, tortured soul thing he's got going on...great casting choice...though his eyes were definitely not his natural blue, they made him wear like brown contacts or something to fit the role.. There's that touch of sadness there that you want to take care of for sure...that broken winged bird syndrome...he's very attractive in this movie...I felt like a groupie, esp., the very last scene where he was kinda' gettin' into his Cash character I playing the guitar to the hilt...loved all that swaggering & posturing he was doing...(Spoiler coming: don 't read this next line now, if you don't want to know too much about the movie). There was a main point in the movie where Johnny Cash lost his older brother in a freak sawmill accident...& you KNOW Joaquin drawed a lot from his own life & loss in the scenes...sort of washes over in the whole movie, again, that touch of moroseness...sadness...*sigh*...Love his eyes, too, can I say that again? Baha! Reese was just Reese, she was pretty perky & I felt at time there were moments that needed to be conveyed much deeper than she was allowing herself to go...there were some dark areas there, esp. when she was trying him to kick his pill/ drug addiction & I felt Reese felt uncomfortable trying to even act that part out...but overall, she's a good actress & it wasn't really about her but it was all about Johnny Cash...
Anyway, one observation that is probably obvious to most who follow rock stars is there is something about them we immediately embrace & when they're lives are tinged with some human struggles then we want to embrace them more...you know the struggle to get there even though they're famous...also, it's idolatory thing...what is it about people onstage that we instantly gravitate too...the larger than life thing...anyway, great flick... check it out if you get a chance this Thanksgiving weekend...Let's see, what else, I went to go watch people ice skate at the Kristi Yamaguchi ice rink last night while a jazz band played, got to watch the kiddies take their snapshots with Santa & whisper their "xmas wishes" in his ear. So adorable, when he'd speak back to them, they looked so wide-eyed, fascintated, a bit spooked yet giddy at the same time - hmmmm, almost like a younger form of idol worship for them, right? Ha...I also got a chance to see them light up the tree in the Hyatt & that was pretty "oooohhhh & ahhhh"-ed worthy...yes, yes, I'm a big kid & that still tickles me pink & makes me feel all warm & fuzzy when I see the twinkle lights go on & that no matter what mood I was in before at work or who irritated me, etc., etc., ...all that b.s. melts away when the holidays do roll along...so yesterday, finally, I am happy to report that it caught up with me and I think I'm officially in the mood...
Though, I was trying to get some friends to go to me to the grand opening of H&M & the immediately branded me ludicrously crazy - you see I walk past Union Square everyday on my commute back & forth from work, so I've been like in a tizzy for it's opening. I mean damn, whenever I go take a trip to NYC, I always have to visit the 5th Avenue one & I'm always there for hours, so this one coming here is like "crack" to me...I can't even express how giddy I am that it's opening here. So, since my friends think I need an intervention from my H&M addiction & obsession, they have me onboard for a planned "makeover" for our friend B.E. instead in the East Bay tomorrow...so, that's what my next event to follow tomorrow...go Albany, have a nice brunch with some good girlfriends & then drive off to San Leandro to do a "Straight Ethnic Gals for the Straight White Guy" makeover all day Sunday & then, at night, I get go see cutie pie Rob Thomas croon for an hour and half or so at Oakland's Paramount Theater...I can't wait! Everytime Matchbox 20 was in town, I've always gone - so, you know I had to see him this time around, too...
I'll keep you all posted later to let you know how the concert went
Until then, I'm clamming up for now Groan...yes, that was my feeble stab at a joke with this addictive smiley face artwork...but what the hey...it conveys how I'm feeling in it's own cutesy way...it's fun, a joke...hah ha hah...Be well all, have a fabulous, wonderful Thanksgiving with all your love ones, enjoy their company, share the hearth & warmth with all who need it and don't fall asleep too quickly after eating all that turkey ;)
Paz,
Elle
Currently listening:
The College DropoutBy Kanye West
Release date: By 10 February, 2004
